


Getting Back Her Smile

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-10-19
Updated: 2004-10-19
Packaged: 2019-05-30 21:44:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15105455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: She's not smiling.





	Getting Back Her Smile

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Getting Back Her Smile**

**by: Samantha Smith**

**Character(s):** Josh, Donna  
**Pairing(s):** Josh/Donna  
**Category(s):** Friendship, General  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Disclaimer:** I wouldn't be writing if Whitford were mine.  
**Summary:** She's not smiling.  
**Author's Note:** Something that was bothering me. 

"Two Vice Presidents in five years?" I ask. 

"Two Vice Presidents in one year, Josh." 

I pause and look at her. "Huh?" We are in our fifth year. What the hell is she talking about? 

"Hoynes lasted through re-election. About one year later, Russell screwed us. That would be two in one year," Donna replies. 

I sink down in my chair and stare at her. "Well," I say finally, "we must be picking the wrong guys. Maybe we should go for a woman." 

She smiles at that. I think about how I haven't seen her smile in ages. I think it has something to do with the pardons, but I'm not so sure. I mean, that was a while ago. I know something like that can be hard, but it was a while ago. What's going on with Donna that I don't know about? 

"Josh?" She pauses, and then adds, "Where did you go just then?" 

She should have been smiling when she said that. But she isn't smiling, and wasn't when she asked. "I haven't seen you smile in a long time." I pause. "Why is that?" 

She shifts on her legs uneasily. "I haven't found anything to smile about recently. Why smile with no reason?" 

I sigh, my eyes searching hers. "Because you always smile, Donna. Always ..." I whisper. I have no idea why I am whispering. It's not a secret. She is generally a happy person. 

She looks down, her whisper matching mine, "When someone gives me a reason to smile, then I will." And with that, she turns and walks out of my office, gently closing the door behind her. 

In a moment to myself, I whisper to the empty room, "I plan on doing just that Donna. I just need to figure out how ..." 

Just then, my door is opened and I am greeted by Donna's scowl. "Ms. Gardner is here to see you." She swings the door all the way open and walks off, leaving Amy standing in my doorway. 

She smiles, "Hey, J." 

That's not the smile I wanted to see. What the hell is she doing here? I thought she left when Abbey went up to New Hampshire to be with Zoey. I mean, seriously. How the hell did she get back in here anyway? I didn't ask for her ... I know Donna didn't. I don't even think Amy has a job right now ... I am going to have some guard fired for this. I sigh, "What do you need, Amy?" 

She walks over and leans across my desk. Ever hear of personal space? She breathlessly whispers, "You." 

My eyes shoot up to see her. Did she just proposition me? Was I not just handed sex on a silver platter? Holy Mary mother of Jesus. 

By the time I finish my internal monologue, she is sitting on my lap, running her fingers through my hair... and Donna is back in the doorway. 

She just stares at me. She's not looking at Amy, just me. My eyes are fixed on hers, pleading for her understanding. "Sorry to interrupt, Josh, but Senator Malloy is on one, and he doesn't seem too happy. But, don't worry about it. I can have him directed to Toby's office. Sorry." She makes a hasty exit. 

"Well, J, crisis averted," she purrs. "Now, why don't we take lunch and head over to my place?" 

I sigh heavily and slide her form my body. A body, I would like to add, that is having absolutely no reaction to her. "Amy, we both agreed that this," I swing my hands between us, "is over." 

"I changed my mind, J. I think that you and I are good together." 

  
"You didn't think that we were so great together when you were CoS for the First Lady," I retort, raising an eyebrow. 

It's true. She was all gung-ho about this when she was job-hunting ... and then we split up when she was hired by Abbey, and now she's back with this garbage again? I don't think so. I may be desperate, but I am not .... Yeah, nowhere to go with that. 

"J ... I made a mistake before." 

"Well, I'm not about to make the same mistake for the, what, third time?" I reply. "There's too much going on right now. I just - I don't think you and I are right, Amy. I think it's time we finally accepted that. I think Tandy would be happy to have you back. And, you know, you could find out if it was really true love. You're not with the WLC anymore, so he quite obviously wouldn't be able to be courting women." 

"He's attempting to court another woman, Josh. And, seriously, I'm surprised you haven't found out yet." 

"Why the hell would I care if Tandy's dating? Because, let me tell you, Amy, I don't care." 

"Ha," she laughs, "you would if you knew who he's been pestering for a date for about three years." 

"Isn't that sexual harassment?" 

"She's too scared it would bring something into her office and get some negative publicity." 

"Amy, who the hell would care if someone from a whip's office or something was dating a congressman?" 

"She doesn't work in a whip's office, Josh. She works in your office." 

Just then, Donna breezes in muttering some apologies and grabbing some files. I wrinkle my brow in her general direction. Okay, this is going to be bad, so I might as well do it with Amy here. I stand, halting Donna's movements with a hand on her shoulder. "Donna? Can I ask you something?" 

She sighs and gives me her 'this had better be good, idiot' look. "Sure." 

"Have you been seeing anyone lately? Or has anyone in particular been actively pursuing you?" I ask. I had to clarify. She would be able to deny it if I didn't. 

She shoots death rays at Amy. Now I don't even need her to answer, but she does anyway. "Congressman Tandy has been asking me out for a while. Why? I don't want to date him, Josh. Seriously. I wouldn't do that to this place. He's an idiot. It would make me look bad for dating someone as legislatively inept as John Tandy, but it would make you look worse because you hired me and I would be dating a moronic key member of the Democratic Party. I swear, Josh, I would never date him," she rambles. 

"Donna, calm down. If he's bothering you, why not just call the cops .... Or why didn't you just tell me?" 

"It's not a big deal. This thing started right after Cliff. Heck, almost immediately after Cliff." 

I give her the look that shows she made a small tactical error. You see, Tandy and Amy were still together. I'm sure Amy finds it perfectly acceptable for HER to be running around with someone else (me), while John sat at home baking cookies or something. 

"Donna, could you ...?" 

"Yeah. Sorry. I didn't mean to bother you guys. I ... I'm sorry. I'll just ..." 

"Donna, come back in fifteen ... no, five minutes. I need to finish this discussion with Amy, and then I want to talk to you. Send Ryan out to get lunch. Make sure they burn the burger." 

"Yeah," she replies. She turns on her heel and walks out of the room. 

I turn my attention to Amy. "Okay. Now that's resolved. We should finish what you and I were discussing before." I pause. "Amy, you and I were nothing about proving something. It was a sick case of 'anything you can do, I can do better' and you know it. We should just ... I don't know, walk away. Let's not make more of it than it was. Sure, the sex was good, and it was nice to have someone in the bed next to me some mornings. But, honestly, there was nothing really there. So, if you don't mind, I have to debrief my assistant." 

"She sleeping with you yet, Josh?" 

"Nope." With that, I open the door and she walks out. "Donna, come on in here." 

She walks in, already nervous. "Josh, I told you. I'm sorry. I wouldn't date him. I know how much you hate him, I really do. It's just once in a while, maybe twice a week he'll ask. And he's not asking anything inappropriate. He's just asking for dinner and drinks. But, Josh, I don't trust him. I think he's trying to get something on you and ... and I know that I am one of the few people with the information ... and I don't think Toby's his type. If it was Matt, I would say yes, but this is John Tandy, your girlfriend's ex-boyfriend ..." she rambles. Now would be an opportune time to correct her. 

"I'm not dating Amy." 

"Helluva way to show that not ten minutes ago, Josh." 

"She made a move on me, Donna. I didn't want to ... I don't want to get back with her. I'm done with the romances for political gain. Honestly, I have nothing to gain from them. Only the women do. But, anyway, I just wanted you to know that she and I are nothing." 

"Okay." 

"Really?" 

"Well, Josh, I can see how you are nothing, being the Deputy Chief of Staff and all. But, seriously, I think she may be something. She's unemployed and has been cut loose by two of DC's most eligible egos ... I mean, bachelors." 

And then it happens. She smiles. He smile is brilliant. It's a real smile, too. It's the kind of smile I have wanted to see on her face for almost a month. This is the smile that makes me smile when I see it, and now is not an exception. She smiles brighter as I sense my dimples making an appearance. 

I walk over and envelop her into a hug. "Donna, thank God you're back." 

She laughs a little. "I haven't gone anywhere, Josh." 

I nod. "Yes you have. You went away form being the happy, smiling, beautiful woman I know. And now you're back. I don't ever want you to leave again, Donna. Stay like this." 

"You're being too serious, Josh," she laughs. 

"You have been too, Donna. Don't do that anymore. Always laugh, always smile," I reply. 

"Ah, the philosophical rambling of one Joshua Lyman," she retorts. 

We both bust out laughing, and I have never been so happy in my life. I got my best friend back. 


End file.
